Gas-powered generation drops by 108 megawatts

Current data of the monthly financial and operations report of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) indicates that electricity generation from the gas-fired plants across the country dropped by 108 megawatts last November.

The Nigeria’s gas-fired plants include: Alaoji II, Geregu II, Omotosho II, Olorunsogo II, Egbema, Sapele, Omoku, Calabar, Gbarain and Ihovbor II, all of which were built under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) scheme.

Others are Omotosho I, Ibom Power, Egbin, Delta, Rivers IPP, Afam and Trans Amadi .The report indicated that in October 2016, the gas-fired plants generated 2,452 megawatts (MW) as against 2,344 in the November, representing a shortfall of 108MW.

The drop in November power generation, according to the report, could be linked to the decline in the November gas supply to gas-fired power plants which stood at 528 mmscfd as against 562 mmscfd last October

In the 12-month review of power generation performance, the report revealed that the lowest generation of 1,483MW was recorded in last June as against the highest generation level of 3,237MW, which was recorded in January 2016.

On the other hand, a total of 528 mmscfd was delivered to the gas fired power plants in November 2016 to generate an average of 2,344 MW compared to December 2015 to November 2016 average gas supply of 538 mmscfd and power generation of 2,409 MW.

Increasing gas constraints largely occasioned by recent attacks on pipelines in the Niger Delta have left over 3,000 megawatts of the nation’s power generation capacity idle.

The nation generates the bulk of its electricity from gas-fired power plants, while output from hydro-power plants makes up about 30 per cent of total generation.

But due to gas constraints, the country’s unutilised electricity generation capacity stands at 3,124MW as of January 1, 2017, according to industry data.

It was highlighted that the country’s power grid broke down 29 times in 2016, the highest since 2011, as the quantum of spinning reserve aimed at forestalling such occurrences remained low.